4 All-Wheel-Drive Toyotas That Can Stand Up to Winter

For generations, drivers have depended on Toyota to deliver safe and reliable vehicles. Toyota continues to do so with its Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 Plus (TSS 2.5+) suite of intelligent safety features. The suite includes all-new safety technologies along with some familiar favorites. Let's explore how the Safety Sense 2.5 Plus suite allows you to drive more confidently. more Pre-Collision System With Pedestrian Detection Like previous versions of the Toyota Safety Sense suite, TSS 2.5+ features a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection. In the TSS 2.5+ suite, this feature is enhanced to not only prevent collisions with the vehicle in front of you, but to also help prevent and mitigate collisions when you're making a left-hand turn. The system detects vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists, even in poorly lit environments. The system automatically applies the brakes and also helps you make emergency steering maneuvers. Full-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control The dynamic radar cruise control is another feature carried over from previous Safety Sense suites. In the TSS 2.5+ suite, the feature can activate at speeds over 30 miles per hour and control the distance between your Toyota and the vehicle in front of you down to 0 mph. If your Toyota has to come to a complete stop, the cruise control is capable of resuming once traffic picks back up. New to the feature is a technology that assists you with passing slower vehicles. If the vehicle in front of you is traveling slower than your preferred cruising speed, all you have to do is engage your turn signal, and the cruise control will accelerate enough to let you safely pass. Lane Departure Alert and Lane Tracing Assist Another favorite feature is the lane departure alert with lane tracing assist. If your Toyota starts to leave its lane and your turn signal isn't engaged, the feature will apply corrective steering. The system can also detect road edges and warn you when it's time to pull over if you've drifted too many times. Blind-Spot Monitoring With Rear Cross-Traffic Alert Toyota fans will be happy to know that blind-spot monitoring is still included in the newest version of Safety Sense. This feature can detect vehicles when they enter your blind spots, issuing both a visual and an audible warning. The system also monitors traffic when you're driving in reverse, so you know when a vehicle or pedestrian is about to cross your path. Road Sign Assist Using a forward-facing intelligent camera, the road sign assist system can read speed limit signs, stop signs, and other traffic signs. The system displays them on a multi-information display. With this innovative feature, the road ahead holds fewer unpleasant surprises. Automatic High Beams The TSS 2.5+ suite's automatic high beams can detect the headlights and taillights of other vehicles and adjust your Toyota's headlights accordingly. When no other vehicles are nearby, the headlights will give you more light when you need it. You'll enjoy not having to constantly fuss with your high beam settings. As you can see, the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 Plus suite offers plenty of features to keep you safe and secure. Test drive a Toyota today and experience the system for yourself. Image via DealerOn

Traffic can not only be a nuisance, but it can make you miss out on certain events or make you late to appointments that you need to be on time for. Even simple accidents can cause a significant delay, and during construction season, those delays can even be worse. To avoid the complications that traffic can cause and help keep yourself on time, check out the three traffic apps below. Google Maps Probably one of the best-known maps and navigation systems for drivers is Google Maps. Google Maps helps you map your route and lets you choose the best course to take based on travel time and mileage. The app also takes into account the time of day and average traffic to provide you with an accurate estimate of how long it will take to get to your destination. Additionally, when the route is mapped, the app will also indicate areas where there are traffic delays, what is causing them, and how much time it will take to get through them. The great thing about Google Maps is it is most likely already on your smart device. more Waze Another popular traffic app is Waze, which takes traffic monitoring into a new direction. It works by monitoring the time and travel speed of drivers taking the particular route and sharing that information with other Waze users who may be planning to travel that route and want an up-to-date traffic report. Waze utilizes user interaction to help create the most up-to-date reporting on things like road kill, construction, traffic accidents, and even the presence of police officers. The app gathers its data from users by assigning points that can be earned for each of the users which can be redeemed at a later time. The app also integrates with your calendars to help you plan routes for appointments you can anticipate in advance. Beat the Traffic The Beat the Traffic app is free for both iOS and Android users and provides drivers with detailed traffic reports letting them know what they will encounter along certain routes as well as how long traffic delays will be. The interface is extremely user-friendly and will allow you to log and save your favorite traveled routes. It also provides you a detailed account of events and incidents that will affect travel such as where construction areas are located, how much traffic is expected, and how long of a delay you can expect. On the app, you can also view traffic cameras, avoid tolls along the way, and receive notifications about traffic problems along with your route. One of the unique aspects of the Beat the Traffic app is that it will factor weather into the time delays and route times to give you the most accurate arrival times. Help get the best of traffic by using one or more of the three apps above to avoid traffic delays along your trip and help get you where you are going and get there on time. Image by Dariusz Sankowski from Pixabay

1. Put Down Your Phone Each year, accidents caused by distracted driving injure nearly 400,000 people. Texting and taking calls while driving are some of the top distractions. One of the easiest ways to ensure your child's safety is to simply ignore your phone when you're behind the wheel. If you can't resist the urge to immediately respond to the sound of a text or a call coming in, put your phone in airplane mode or tuck it out of reach. Pull over in a safe place or install a hands-free system in your vehicle if you simply have to take calls while you're on the road. more 2. Keep Your Eyes on the Road While cell phones are some of the most common distractions, there are others to consider as well. Avoid eating or drinking while you drive. Whether you're taking a sip from a cup of coffee or opening a bag of trail mix, it takes your eyes and your attention off the road. Unhappy children are another common distraction. No matter how fussy your children are being, what they've dropped on the floor, or how loud they're screaming, taking your eyes off the road for even a second can cause an accident. Pull over if you need to tend to your children, and attach their toys to their car seats using plastic links to make sure they always stay within reach. 3. Install a Car Seat Properly A car seat is an absolute must for little ones. However, an astounding 73 percent of car seats are improperly installed. Be sure to carefully follow the instructions that come with your car seat or find a technician who can help you properly install your child's car seat for you. Remember, your children must stay in a car seat until they reach a certain height and weight, and they should ride only in the backseat until they are at least 12 years old. 4. Secure Yourself You've heard it a million times before — seat belts save lives. In fact, they save as many as 15,000 lives each year according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Seat belts help keep you from being thrown out of a vehicle, they spread out the force of a crash, and they prevent you from hitting your head on the steering wheel or dashboard. In addition to making sure you and your child are properly buckled in place, be sure to strap down any items that are lying around inside the vehicle. They could become projectiles if you suddenly slam on the brakes, causing injury to you and your loved ones. Use car anchors to hold down loose objects. Always keep these four child safety tips for the car in mind when you're out for a ride with your family. They could help save a life. Image Via Pixabay